


A Day Around And A Day Without

by roseverdict



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Drama, Feels, Fluff, Rosie Writes!, Slice of Life, THEN SUDDENLY, i wrote a thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-21 01:54:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6033718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseverdict/pseuds/roseverdict
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Weirdmageddon become nothing more than a memory, the crew has split up to pursue their own dreams. However, they soon realize that they need each other even now, even after the danger has passed. There will always be the statue in the forest to remind them.</p><p>As long as nobody completely screws up, anyway.</p><p>Currently: What do you do when nobody believes you that gnomes kidnapped your daughter? You go to Chiu, Gleeful, Valentino, and Northwest, attorneys at Supernatural law!</p><p>Also, a harried authoress breaks the summary's fourth wall to apologize for both a tiny & late update! *cough*me*cough*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Two Stans And A Ship

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Gravity Falls. I make this to say something to the one who does.
> 
> Thank you, Alex Hirsch, for this wonderful series that has kept me childish even in public highschool.

If one discovered what happened one summer in a woodland town, one would expect logging.

Barn raisings.

Happy community potlucks and picnics.

In Gravity Falls, Oregon, in the summer of 2012, this was not the case.

Destruction

Pyra...I'm sorry, that's not right...Fearamid raisings.

Worried community battles for survival.

But that was in the past.

In the present, however...

* * *

"Oi, Poindexter, kraken off the starboard bow!"

"I got it!"

The kraken fell from the side of the ship, its tentacles whipping past the name emblazoned on her side.

Stan'O'War II

Ford checked over the side of the ship to confirm the kraken's dislodging, then blew the smoke off his otherdimensional ray gun with a grin. "Told you."

"Yeah, yeah," Lee called over from the wheel, "but who caught the tip off the locals that there was a freakin' KRAKEN out here?"

Ford stumbled to the door, still adjusting to being at sea a bit. "And by caught, you mean 'swindling them out of their own possessions and holding them ransom until they said,' right?" His mouth quirked up into a grin.

"Ha, ya got me there!" Lee broke into laughter. Ford soon joined in, and for a while they laughed. Then they stood in companionable silence, the only noises the engine and the sounds of the waves.

After some time, the sun had fallen to the horizon off the port stern. The sky turned pink and the water a clean purple.

Ford turned to his twin. "Didn't Mabel have a sweater like this once?"

With a nod, Lee answered. "Yep. The day she wore it was honestly really crazy."

"You'll want to specify, Lee. From what I saw of Gravity Falls after I came back, it only got crazier every day." Ford chuckled.

"Well, that Gideon kid-you remember him, right? We first really met him when he tried to make Mabel his 'queen' the first time." Lee pushed the autopilot button Ford had installed and turned to face him.

Ford sent him an incredulous look. "He tried to 'make Mabel his queen' multiple times?"

Lee deadpanned him.

"…Well then."

"Yep, they're a buncha long stories." Lee turned away to face the sunset. "Didja remember to bring her postcard with ya when we left?"

Ford chuckled and pulled the envelope from the plastic-lined pocket of his overcoat.

"Ya do realize that coulda fallen into the water, right?"

"Yes, yes I do, Lee. Do you want to read it or not?" Ford snarked playfully.

"Yeesh, don't get your undies in a bunch, Ford!" guffawed Lee. He pulled the postcard from the envelope, then sat down on the captain's chair to read aloud.

_'Dear Grunkles Stan and Ford,_

_How's life on the seas treating you? Have you met any pirates?? HAVE YOU FOUND ANY LOST TREASURES HIDDEN IN SECRET COVES UNDERWATER???_

_Anyway, you asked in your last letter what Dipper and I were doing. Dipper's been prepping for his calculus, world history, and supernature finals all week! I've caught him eating his own shirt so many times I've lost count! (I made him stick a quarter in a jar whenever I caught him-it's overflowing!)_

_My classes are going great, but I'M ME! I'M GREAT! AHAHAHA!!! Also I've met some nice girls in my fashion classes who are nearly as yarny as me! I still have more sweaters though! XD_

_I was bouncing ideas (and bouncy balls) off Dipper today and I thought that maybe this summer we could all go back to the Falls? I mean, it HAS been 10 years as of this year since all that craziness went down. It can be a crew reunion!_

_I might have a surprise for everyone when we go!_

_Love,_

_Mabel'_

The signature was written in flowing cursive, but the rest was in childish block letters. The Stans chuckled at their great-niece's antics, then...

"I don't know."

Ford turned to look at his brother. "What? Why?"

Lee looked back at him. "Ford, what with our missions around the world and their college classes, we haven't really talked face-to-face in a good five years. Look at us..." He glared at his prosthetic right leg, a permanent reminder of the time they encountered the acid-spewing giant snake. "We've only gotten older, less capable since we last really saw them."

Ford scratched the back of his head with his now five-fingered left hand. "Yeah, that firebird didn't really do much for our health."

"You know what I mean! It's just..." Lee sighed. "...Dipper's getting a job with one of the first serious magic-seeking organizations on the planet. Mabel's going to make her own fashion line. Wendy and Soos are keeping the Shack alive. Everyone we know is getting better, harder, faster, or stronger. Or some combo! And we're...we're old men, Ford."

Ford took the postcard from Lee's hands. "Do these look like the words of someone who cares about that sort of thing? It's written in glitter glue, Lee. Glitter. Glue."

Lee gazed down at his feet. "I know, I'm just being pessimistic-"

"Yeah, you are."

Lee snapped his head up at that as Ford continued. "But now you don't have to go it alone. You have your friends and family to lean on. You know I suffered from extreme loneliness when I was in the Portal, all those years ago. From what I've heard, you went through the same things trying to get me back. But this time...this time Mabel can yell something completely random to cheer everyone up. Now Dipper can rattle off some nerdy things that translate to, 'I got this under control.' This time..." Ford gazed back out at the sunset. "...we can be there for each other, like we should have been the whole time."

Lee saw Ford look away at that last sentence. "Hey, Fingers."

His brother turned to him.

"Thanks."

They shared a grin before watching the sun finish falling below the horizon, the unheard words between them meaning more than any spoken phrases ever would.

Next stop, the little port village off the coast of China.

After that, Gravity Falls, Oregon.

* * *

Well.

I feelsed.

I hope this is a good start to the story!

Yeah it's a story now. It was just supposed to be a bunch of one-shots but then SOMEBODY *pointed look at dad* gave me an idea.

An awful idea.

My dad gave me a wonderfully, AWFUL idea! *dramatic music plays*

* * *

Diwhu doo zdv vdlg dqg grqh

Olih vhhphg olnh lw zrxog eh ixq

Exw li brx gr qrw mxvw dvn "zkb?"

Ehzduh wkh foxhv wkdw sdvv brx eb


	2. Prologue Part 2: Three Coworkers And A Shack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on ADAandADW: We meet the Stan twins again! We discover that it's 10 years later! We see that the two have accumulated battle scars over the years!
> 
> Now: Wendy, Soos, and Melody are keeping the Mystery Shack in tip-top shape! Even after Weirdmageddon made the world an odder place to live in!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My thanks to all of you who enjoy my brainfarts! I'm so glad you read past the first part, so I present PROLOGUE PART 2: THREE COWORKERS AND A SHACK!

"And this thing here, dudes, is the statue of the Mystery Shack's founder, town hero and personal friend, Stanley Pines!"

Mr. Mystery unveiled the statue for the awed gazes of his tour group.

Either that or they froze up in shock and/or fear at the sight of the old man's metal mug.

Probably the latter-yup, there they went, bypassing the Gift Shop and everything.

"Haha, Soos, you need to give them some warning before you scar them for life!" Wendy laughed from her post as the terrifying 'LumberDudette'.

Melody wrapped her arms around her husband of 7 and a half years. "Wendy has a point, you know. They do deserve a little more than 30 seconds to brace themselves."

"You're right." Soos grinned. "Which is why I'm gonna make Mister Pines's statue nice enough for normal people to look at!" He checked the time-5:30 PM-and flipped the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' before running downstairs with Statue Stan.

"...Should we get him back up here for dinner later?" Wendy smirked.

"He needs his food, so yes." Melody told her. The doorbell rang. Melody went and opened the door for the mailman.

"Ah, yes, hello again Melody. Is your husband home?"

"Technically he is, but he's fixing things, so..." Mel shrugged.

The mailman handed her an envelope. "This was addressed to him, you, and Wendy-hey there, by the way."

"Hey."

Mel thanked him and let him leave, then-

"SOOS, HONEY, MABEL SENT US ALL ANOTHER POSTCARD! THIS ONE'S FROM CHICAGO!"

Within seconds, Soos popped out the vending machine door, Stan's old fez askew on his head. "QUICK READ IT READ IT READ IT!!!"

Wendy started laughing uncontrollably. "HAH! That's-hehehe-a new recordAHAHAHA OH MY GOSH SOOS, HOW MANY WALLS DID YOU CRASH INTO???"

Unamused, Soos ignored her in favor of Melody's reading.

' _Dear Soos, Wendy, and Melody_

_HI GUYS! How've you been? Is the Shack walking around again? TELL IT IT HAS TO STAY PUT!!!_

_So you guys wanted to hear about life on campus, right? Well, Dipper's been prepping for his finals (and by prepping I mean "going into Pre-Sock Opera Mode") all week and I made a Shirt-Eating Jar, like a Swear Jar, but for eating his shirt! Needless to say, I'm gonna have plenty of money to get...OH WAIT I WAS GONNA TELL YOU AFTER UPDATES WHOOPS! XD_

_I mentioned my classmates, Helen and Kathy, last postcard, right? Super yarny, would get along BEAUTIFULLY with you guys and Candy and Grenda? Because I've told them about our adventures in the Falls and they want to come see for themselves!_

_So my surprise was that…okay okay okay, you guys know how it's been 10 years since THAT summer, right? And how we haven't all talked together since then? So I was thinking…CREW REUNION! I'm inviting everyone who's still around to Gravity Falls for the summer to catch up! And the Shirt-Eating Jar is SUCH a good moneymaker! Grunkle Stan would be proud! Although I guess I could just ask Dipper to help BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE NEARLY AS FUN!_

_Can't wait to see you guys!_

_Love,_

_Mabel_ '

Soos grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me, hambones!"

Wendy hung her LumberDudette costume up by the door, knocking on the walls. "You hear that, Shack? No wandering off for a while!" A little grin crossed her face when the windvane outside spun around, even with no wind.

When the phone rang, Melody picked it up. "This is the Mystery Shack, Melody speaking!"

_"Hey, Melody, are Li'l Stan and Soos home?"_

"Oh, hi, Grenda!" She covered the reciever with one hand. "It's for you and Stanton, Soos, go get him please?" Then, turning back to the phone, "What is it?"

_"Franny says she left her invention there when she was over earlier."_

Five-year-old Ton popped through the doorway just then. "Is dat Auntie Gwenda?" he asked.

"Yep, Tonny. She says Franny forgot her...what was it..?" Melody grinned.

"IT WAS A DUBBUW-GEDDIT! I'll get it!" Ton beamed before running off.

Soos exclaimed, "Don't wake Abuelita!" before chasing after him.

Melody chuckled with Grenda and Wendy. Then, she asked, "So, how's adopting Franny's brother going?"

_"Ah, it's going. The orphanage director almost lost Frank's paperwork..."_

Wendy stayed behind as Melody walked off, chattering with Grenda over the phone. She gazed out at the forest, for the moment a silent sentry over the resting place of a triangular nightmare.

She saw the fairies arguing with the gnomes over a slice of pie until the Shack tipped its totem pole just enough to make them stop.

She looked down at the postcard in her hand, proudly declaring Chicago 'The Windiest City.'

The moment seemed to stretch on forever.

Until Ton jumped on her and it didn't.

She couldn't wait for summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta-daaaaaaa
> 
> *overenthusiastic!Author Mode ACTIVATE!*
> 
> For the code below, I'm using my 3DS and…what the fudge is a zloty? According to my 3DS, it's a legit word...O-O"
> 
> \-----
> 
> Lw wdnhv d zkloh wr slfn sx vshhg
> 
> Dqg rqog li wkdw'v zkdw brx qhhg
> 
> Krzhyhu, fduhixoob wuhdg eb
> 
> Ohvw brx pla xs wkh wuxwk zlwk ohlv


	3. Prologue Part 3: Four Lawyers And A Letter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on ADAandADW: Wendy, Soos, and Melody, along with the Shack and Ton, have received a postcard from none other than Mabel! Now they have to get themselves ready!
> 
> Now: Ever since the evil triangle's demise, the magic and all-around weirdness that was an intrinsic part of the Falls has begun to affect the rest of the world. Nothing crazy (like giant Staypuft marshmallow men), but if, say, a gnome was to kidnap someone to be his queen, someone would have to sue him to get the victim back.
> 
> Enter Chiu, Northwest, Valentino, and Gleeful, Attorneys at Law.
> 
> But then, they get a letter that's most definitely NOT from the family of a kidnapped gnome queen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweats* NO i'm not cameoing some characters from a preexisting AU I basically fell in love with, what gave you THAT idea???

"Yes, yes, Mister Sterling. We will get your daughter back from that…what was his name?"

"Jack." The man sniffled.

"Yes, Jack. Mister Sterling, we will do everything in our power to save Belle from Jack and his friends." nodded the Korean woman. "You will need sleep for the trial tomorrow, so you go home. We will put everything in place."

"Thank you, Miss Chiu." Mr. Sterling stood up and headed for the front door.

"Hey, Candy? Could you be a dear and get the mail?" called a voice down the hall from her office.

Candy just rolled her eyes. "Fine…" Then, under her breath, she added, "…still a creep-o."

"I heard that!" Gideon stuck his head out the doorway of his own office. He tried being indignant about it, but after a few seconds of the other three laughing, he gave up and joined in.

Candy smirked. "Yeah, I know." She headed for the front desk, where the new secretary, Amanda, was trying to classify a postcard from South Dakota with the rest of the mail.

"Ah! Miss Chiu, where would I put this?" She turned to her boss in confusion.

Candy picked it up, noting with a smile how it read "Greetings from South Dakota!" on one side and felt like glitter glue on the other. "Don't worry, Amanda, the other three will want to see this. I'll take it to them. Any other mail?"

Wordlessly Amanda gave her the rest of the mail, then turned back to her desk.

Candy flipped through the envelopes, mainly various letters from debt collectors, ambulance chasers (who weren't paying attention to addresses), and the like. Sometimes there was a thank-you letter from satisfied clients, but not always.

Today held something ten times better.

"Oi, Candy, anything in there for me?" Robbie called down the hall.

"Nope!" She grinned cheekily at him, then went on. "But there's a postcard from Mabel!"

Pacifica flew from her office like a bat out of hades (then recollected herself because like her parents or not, she was a goshforsaken Northwest) and sprinted (ehem, power-walked) to Candy. "Aren't you going to read it?"

"Not until our antisocial recluses come out from the shadows." Candy giggled.

Admitting defeat, Robbie and Gideon walked into view, grinning.

"Well, why're we all standin' around like a bunch'a cattle in the city? Read it!" Gideon came to a stop by the water-dispenser-thing (no one would tell him what it was called) for a cup.

Robbie scrubbed at his eyes. "And quickly, please. I need to go home and sleep. The 'Fae Of Piedmont vs Jeremiah Percy' case is totally wrecking my sleep schedule."

Candy started reading, a smile in her voice.

_'Dear Candy, Pacifica, Robbie, and Gideon,_

_What sorts of cases have you guys gotten? Have any gnomes tried kidnapping anyone?? HAS GIDEON??? (jk Gideon we're cool)_

(Gideon chuckled akwardly at that.)

_So Paz said she was wondering what we were up to, then Candy specified shenanigans, right? Well, Kathy and me pranked Dipper GOOOOD! We made a dress that looked like the shapeshifter and had Kathy jump out at him! (Sleep-deprived Dipper is too fun to mess with!)_

_Me and Kathy were planning our company and wanted to ask Paz-would you be able to help us name and/or promote? And Candy-have you seen Grenda's pictures of Li'l Tonny? Gid, Robbie, that photo of you two in court for the Fae case made national headlines! Dipper's Law teacher had no clue we knew you personally! (Now she asks questions about you constantly outside of class-is this fangirling?)_

_Now, for a surprise-WE'RE HEADED TO THE FALLS FOR THE SUMMER! I've sent postcards to all the people we remember from that summer 10 years ago, and I'm getting us all together for a Mystery Crew Reunion! It'll be fun to catch up with everyone at once! I hope you guys can make it between cases!_

_Love,_

_Mabel'_

Robbie looked to his friends. "Hey, I'm game. You guys wanna go?"

Candy and Pacifica turned to where Gideon had been standing. From the end of the hallway they could hear him telling Amanda to clear their schedules for at least the next few weeks.

Candy grinned. "I believe we are going whether we want to or not!"

Pacifica groaned with a smile. "And here I thought Gid was over Mabel..."

The other two in the room just laughed.

* * *

Deep in the forests of the rural Oregon town, a bird fluttered to where a moss-covered stone rested.

The bird brushed past a few thin appendages on the stone.

A newly-made bird statue fell to the grassy undergrowth.

If anyone had been nearby, had the lighting been better...

it would have seemed like the first stone twitched.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I JUST REALIZED
> 
> I WROTE A CHARACTER THAT FASHIONS
> 
> BUT I CAN'T FASHION
> 
> HALP
> 
> *face3DSs*
> 
> \-----
> 
> Brx uhdoob wklqn brx hqghg ph?  
> L'p khuh wr vdb wkdw frxogq'w eh!  
> Zkhq brx frph edfn, dqg bhv, brx pxvw!  
> Eh vxuh wr nqrz zkr brx fdq wuxvw!


	4. Prologue Part 4: Five Friends and a Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on ADAandADW:
> 
> Now: We've read the postcards, we've heard the updates. Now for a face-to-metaphorical-face meeting with the younger Mystery Twins!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slowly closes tab on Transcendence AU* what NO i'm not stealing someone else's AU's OC because they completely rock, nooo... *sweats*

The first motel they'd stopped at, way back in Philly, Dipper had no idea Mabel would wake him and the others by jumping on them.

He should've learned by Chicago.

Or that little nameless town in South Dakota.

Or at least when they stopped for the night by the sign proclaiming 'Welcome to Oregon!'

He didn't.

And now he was puking in the bushes while Mabel grinned sheepishly by the other 3.

Great.

"Mabel, you shoulda known your brother couldn't hold up to three mornings of being jumped on, let alone four!" Kathy laughed.

Henry and Helen shared identical expressions of "what the actual fudge even is life."

Mabel just held her hands up and walked to her bro. "Hey, Dip, you wanna get lunch at the Diner?"

He wiped his mouth, wishing he'd shaven back at that last motel, then rasped. "You drive."

The look that dawned on Mabel's face suddenly made Dipper want to skip breakfast.

\-----

"WOOOOOHOOOOO!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The truck driver stared as the black car (covered in puffy bumper stickers???) blew past him. He glanced at the speed limit-70 mph-then back at the car.

Holy fudge.

Already in the distance, something popped out of the side, then dropped something from the window.

It wasn't until he got to that part of the road that he felt bad for whoever lost their breakfast.

HOOO-LYYY FUDGE!

\-----

Dipper pulled his head back in the window of his and Mabel's sedan. "MABEL PLEASE SLOW DOWN, THAT TRUCKER LOOKED LIKE HE'D SEEN A GHOST!"

Helen and Henry were hanging on for dear life while Kathy cackled maniacally with Mabel. "NEVERRRRR!"

"Kathy! Please side with me! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!" Dipper screamed.

Kathy gave him a crazed look with her bright (as she called it,) "frankencolored" eyes. "Are you kidding?! YOUR SIS IS AMAZING!"

Helen gripped the sides of her seat with white-knuckled hands.

Henry, on the other hand, had his hands braced on the roof and side of the car, screaming his lungs out.

Helen managed to squeak out, "Mabel, m-maybe I should drive for a bit..?"

"GOOD IDEA!" Mabel yelled, swerving to the side of the road and slamming on the brakes. The car skidded to a stop, spraying gravel at the sign reading 'Gravity County, Population 1500-ish.'

As Helen and Mabel switched places, Henry and Dipper both spilled from the passenger side on trembling limbs.

"Why, oh why, did I let my sister drive?" Dipper moaned.

Henry fell to the ground, repeating "Can't move, won't move" for about half a minute.

Kathy just kept laughing.

Once everyone had piled back in, the car started up again, this time at a MUCH saner pace.

Kathy had stopped laughing like an evil maniac and was crocheting herself what would most likely become a vest like the one she had on-yarny rainbow barf is an art.

Mabel was knitting a sweater from the same kind of yarn.

Henry and Dipper were listening to music from Dipper's phone-probably BABBA.

So it was when they rolled into town at noon that day.

Well, 11:39, but (as Mabel said) PFFFT.

\-----

_Dear Diary,_

_Remind me to never let Mabel drive me ANYWHERE._

_We roadtripped all the way to Gravity Falls this past week, and I don't think we broke many safety laws this time. Mabel said her friends, Grenda and Candy, both lived here, but so far I've just met Grenda. Her adopted daughter, Franny, is an absolute cutie!_

_We're going to "The Mystery Shack" right now. I've heard Dipper's stories, and so have Kathy and Henry, and honestly if the place is half as crazy I thi-_

_the shack moved all on its own_

_I'm gonna ask the twins about this now._

_One thing's for sure though-this summer will be out of this world!_

_Signed,_

_Helen Corduroy_

\-----

Deep in the woods, birds flocked to the stone shaped like one of them, confused.

The first of the newcomers to hop onto their friend, twittering concernedly, was the first to join it in stonehood.

As the birds fluttered away in panic, more than a handful were forcefully stonified as they brushed past each other in a chain reaction.

Soon the grass was littered with more statuettes than should be there.

Soon the largest would shudder.

Soon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am...not completely happy with this one. I needed to get back into the story though, so here.  
> Vkrrwlqj Vwdu lv idoolqj  
> Slqh Wuhh vwduwhg wlsslqj  
> Vlahu khuh ehwudbhg ph  
> Ihc zrxqg xs cdsslqj ph

**Author's Note:**

> CHECK IT
> 
> I FICCED
> 
> LET'S DO THIS THANG!!!!!! XD


End file.
